Duke should have done this more often, 4 1/2 stars | Money Jungle

Money Jungle | Money Jungle | Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus, ...

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	• Money Jungle Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus, ... Blue Note Records, 2002 average customer review:based on 23 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Clash of the titans

Remarkable album, indeed!
Duke Ellington, a great classical (but always explorative) pianist, composer, arranger and band leader is teamd up with two of the best modernist players, Charles Mingus and Max Roach and, as opposed to occasions where artists modify theri style to conform to one of the players, this is a true fight, a clash of the musical titans who respect and challenge each other.

Not all the numbers are equally enjoyable for me, but this is still, I believe one of the best albums I have ever heard (although it's not one of my favorites).

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Duke should have done this more often, 4 1/2 stars

Duke Ellington recorded two albums in the same month with younger musicians near the peaks of their powers. There is the disc with John Coltrane, and this one with Charles Mingus and Max Roach. I wish Duke had done more of that, because both discs are very good. "Money Jungle" shows a surprisingly avant-garde side of Duke Ellington.

This CD opens up with the title track, which is an absolute 5-star song. "Money Jungle" sounds unlike anything you'd expect from Duke Ellington. It wouldn't sound out of place on a Bad Plus CD, for example. It bristles with raw energy. Charles Mingus hits the same note on the bass like he was Neil Young. The song is timeless, and reason alone to get the CD. Things settle down for "Fleurette Africaine" where everyone plays with more touch and subtlety. "Very Special" can be considered the "average" song on this CD - it's blues-based, mid-tempo, and has very tasty playing. "Wig Wise" is a revelation to me, this version sounds better than any other I've heard. The version of "Caravan" puts a unique twist on an often-played classic. "Solitude" is in large part a Duke solo spot. "A Little Max" is a sprightly, catchy tune. Not counting the alternate versions, the rest of the disc and the bonus tracks are similar to "Very Special" in their bluesiness. The playing is stellar across the board. It's great to hear Duke without a big band, Mingus is Mingus, and Max Roach doesn't play flashily, but he always a very musical drummer. This CD is highly recommended, even if you're not a big fan of Duke's big band stuff.

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Money Jungle

I love this CD. It's as enjoyable as I expected it to be and that's saying a lot. Roach is excellent, Mingus is as good as ever, and Ellington's presence ensures that every minute of it *swings*. Good stuff.

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Blows me away

Me, I am no expert in music. That said, I let my ears guide me. In my opinion this CD has no weak points. Whether it is the title track, or "Wig Wise," which sounds to me like Thelonious Monk's "Well, You Needn't," there are surprises lurking in every track. I barely recovered from "Caravan" before I heard "REM Blues." Before that, I was already smitten with "A little Max." Does anyone know if this was named for Max Roach? In fact, I couldn't be sure which version of the last two songs I preferred. "solitude" is great. Does anyone detect hint of Keith Jarrett's Koln Concert Part I on "Switch blade," or, more accurately vice-versa?

Who doesn't like this CD? Maybe someone who really knows music and is not impressed because he/she can easily pick out the flaws. By I must point out that this CD made the list of 100 Best CDs ever. Even if this list is subjective, it shows that a lot of people like it.

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What a Glorious Record

When you play this record it takes you away, where I don't know, Mars, Utopia, South America, Africa, the rings of Saturn, the outer nebula and beyond even that. Duke's piano doesn't let up. Nobody plays bass like Charlie Mingus and he's never played better than with these guys on this record. Max Roach is the quintessential bebop drummer, his tempo is fast and Duke and Charlie keep up.

These men are jazz, without them it wouldn't be. The fates, the Gods, Heaven itself, they all stood still when this record was being made and they all cry a little every time it's played, it's so good. To pick one song here and call it favorite would be impossible. These men, these players in this thing we call jazz, may have departed this mortal coil, but they play on.

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What an alliance: a legendary bandleader and composer, a pioneering bop drummer, and an unclassifiable (and often prickly) bass behemoth. It's no wonder that the tension between Duke Ellington, Max Roach, and Charlie Mingus is thick and extremely tangible, permeating this breathtaking 1962 album with passion and aggression. On the jagged blues "Very Special," Ellington establishes a weighty mood while his piano work almost borders on free jazz. Roach's sticks dance and prance across every inch of his kit on "A Little Max"; on "Caravan" he effectively shifts from exotic rhythms to straight time. Duke's harmonic invention is delicate and mysterious on "Fleurette Africaine," but simultaneously jarring and cerebral on the confrontational "Wig Wise." It's hard to believe only three people are creating the stomping, disjointed monster that is the title track. Ellington alone emphasizes the beautiful melodies of the classic ballads "Soltitude" and "Warm Valley," but the edge returns when the rhythm section joins him. Mingus, who actually idolized Ellington, seems to be purposely agitating the master, almost taunting him. You'd say the synergy was magical, except that they seem to be working against each other. --Marc Greilsamer

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